How do you guys feel about planning meals ahead of time?

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chelsifina
chelsifina Posts: 346 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It seems like it would take the spontaneity, joy, and flexibility out of the day's meals. For example, part of the fun of going to a restaurant is getting to enjoy something new and surprising. Also, I'm curious how long it takes people - does it save time or take more time than just encountering each meal as it happens throughout the day. Thoughts? Advice? Cautionary tales?
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Replies

  • MsElphaba
    MsElphaba Posts: 432 Member
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    If I know where we are going for dinner, I will try to get a menu online and see what I want to eat. I can plug it in here and then pace out the rest of my day accordingly. Still can try something new, you've just planned for it!
  • fab50G
    fab50G Posts: 384 Member
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    In order for me to stay on track, it is important that I plan and pack my meals and snacks either the night before or that morning. I typically "wing it" on the weekends, but still try to make good choices.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    We plan out meals for the week so we can buy groceries
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
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    I do the same thing as MrsEJr! I also eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day (I'll occasionally switch out a fruit or something). So I know how many calories are my "play calories" for dinner - that's usually my more spontaneous, let's decide later sort of meal.
  • glowingz
    glowingz Posts: 63 Member
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    I like to plan out my breakfast, lunch, and snacks, but I leave dinner up to what I feel like at the end of the day. This also helps me to plan for how much I'll need to work out that day, depending on how many calories I have left for dinner.

    This helps me when I'm short on time getting to work in the morning too, so I don't have to think about what to make, and I can already have everything ready to go the night before.
  • misscfe
    misscfe Posts: 295 Member
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    I typically take my lunch and breakfast to work so those are usually planned. It really helps in watching the calories. My dinners are not always planned. When I do go out to eat and I know where I am going. I do like to check out the website for the restaurant and just get some ideas of what I should eat. I don't always pick out one thing but maybe a couple and then what ever is more appetizing when I get there I will order. For me it is so much easier to stick to my calories when I do some planning. Not to say that my planning is actually what happens all the time. :)
  • jrueckert
    jrueckert Posts: 355 Member
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    I see what you're saying, but I when I don't plan, at least a little bit in advance, I'm sabatoging myself. I don't like to plan my meals for the week all at once, but I will think about it during work that day and decide what I will eat for lunch and dinner. When I go to restaurants though, I look online before hand and make a list of some options that I'm giving myself. Then, when I'm there, I can see how I feel and which menu pictures look the best. It keeps some of the spontaneity there.
  • Bella1hud
    Bella1hud Posts: 530 Member
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    I find that most successful days are the ones where I plan my meals ahead of time. Knowing what I am going to be eating helps keep my mind from wandering into the all to familiar territry of "Hmmm, what could I nibble on now?"!! And I find looking at other people's food diaries very helpful for ideas if I am having a hard time coming up with something that tickles my fancy . :wink:

    I do find it helpful to check out the menu online before hand so I can have an idea of what I might have. DIsapointing though when I get to the restaurant and find they have just changed their menu and what I had decided to order is no longer on the menu :p But regardless it is good to have an idea of the calories in the different dishes. Sometimes the ones we think will be the lowest end up being the highest!
  • Aileen46
    Aileen46 Posts: 176 Member
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    I usually plan my meals in advance so that I know what kind of calories I have to play with. For example, if I know that dinner is going to be more calories that usual, I'll do a lighter lunch or snacks so that I don't go over.
  • perne11
    perne11 Posts: 46 Member
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    I think it's a great idea, Im just usually not the organized. If there are leftovers, then sometimes I plan them for the next day...but normally that's as far as I go.
  • PinUpMommy
    PinUpMommy Posts: 94
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    When we eat at home, I only have healthy foods, so there is a bit of spontenaity. When we go out to eat, I make sure that we go to a place that either offers mostly healthy foods, or that has their calorie counts in their menus so that I can get something that is good for me but within my calories. I haven't had any issues with it at all. Plus, who wants to be suprised by at 1500 calorie salad at the end of the night, right?
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
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    I plan and pack my weeks food on Sunday... I had taken a break from it, and gained 5 lbs... so I am back on the wagon. It is the only way I can eat clean and stay on track
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I know most people like to plan their meals but I just do it as I go because I'm always changing my mind. Also it gives a bit of a surprise of what to have instead of feeling bored :drinker:
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
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    I have a calendar on the fridge with all the dinners written on it (usually two weeks at a time) if in the morning I don't think something sounds good, I swap it for a different day and take what sounds good out of the freezer! I do this for two reasons: 1, knowing what i'm going to be cooking for the week helps me make a better grocery list so that I'm not at the grocery store every other day! 2, having a plan and knowing what to cook with what helps me and my husband even when we're exhausted and would rather just grab a cheeseburger. there's none of that "what do you want for dinner?" "I don't know. what do you want?" It's also nice because 3 nights a week he has to cook dinner, and having that there keeps him on track and tells him what to do with that naked chicken I left out on the counter! =D
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
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    I planned my meals ahead even prior to signing up to here. Barring when I ate out!

    How can people get home from work and then decide what they want to make for dinner? That seems so alien to me LOL!! I need a plan...

    Now I use MFP to plan all my meals as opposed to log. Logging after the event it too late :-)
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
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    I plan or pack breakfast and lunch ahead of time. Dinner is left to decide at the end of the day, based on what the wife wants, how we are feeling, if we have exercised yet or not...and so forth. Planning makes buying groceries easier and takes the stress out of trying to decide what to have. On the weekends we wing it more.
  • BlueSkies_12
    BlueSkies_12 Posts: 74 Member
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    I wouldn't have lost a single pound without planning before i eat. I have a few items picked out on-line before i go to a restaurant so i know what i can afford to eat from a calorie standpoint. I have had a handful of days in the last several months that i didn't count my calories just so i wouldn't drive myself crazy but even still i was aware of the amount of food i was eating.
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
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    If I know where we are going for dinner, I will try to get a menu online and see what I want to eat. I can plug it in here and then pace out the rest of my day accordingly. Still can try something new, you've just planned for it!

    I am the same way....if I'm worried dinner may put me over on calories, I enter that first and plan the rest of my meals around it.
  • MsKeelah919
    MsKeelah919 Posts: 332 Member
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    I plan ahead. When I dont, there is a price to pay. Either stalled losing or going over my calories when I didnt have to. I always do online research before going to a restuarant, so I can have a few ideas to choose from. It does remove spontanaity, but thats what got me over 200 in the first place...just winging it! :) Good luck!
  • JamieCRodriguez
    JamieCRodriguez Posts: 88 Member
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    I plan and log my meals ahead of time. It's important for me to see the nutritional information prior to me eating it so I can decide if it's worth it to me. When I eat out, I check the restaurants website to find out the nutritional information so I can make a good choice. It's not spontaneous but I still feel good just being able to eat out. In fact, feel BETTER knowing I can have both: the fun eating out with my family & eating right!

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